An Iris stands for Hope
by Quiet Shadow6631
Summary: Life has taken a downward spin for Prim when Katniss is sent to the games. But when all hope seems lost, there is always hope somewhere. Oneshot. Prim and Rory.


**Here is a totally random short story I wrote about Prim during Katniss's hunger games. It is also in my hunger games SYOT from the ashes.**

**Hope you like it!**

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**A****n Iris stands for Hope**

It was the worst week of Prim's life.

Even worse than the week Prim's dad died. Even worse than the week Katniss couldn't find any food in the woods. Even these than the week where several people of the seam were whipped.

It was the stares everyone was giving her. The sympathetic glances, the pointing fingers, the sad smile. The way the teachers wouldn't call on her at school. She was in a daze. Every morning, Prim would put on her school clothes and brush her hair, remembering how when her dad was alive and Katniss was here. Her mom would laugh and smile while brushing Prim and Katniss's hair. She would braid Prim's hair after doing Katniss's, while Katniss made breakfast with food her father shot and the food they could buy a few small loaves of bread from the Mellark bakery or the hob. They didn't have much, but they had each other.

Now Prim would make a small breakfast for herself out of the food they still had left and herbal tea for her mom. Despite her sister's warning to her mom not to fall into depression, her mother was a shell. She sat on a chair by the window, curled up in the quilt from her bed with the last family in her hands. Her lips would move, muttering things into the darkness Prim couldn't hear.

Prim knelt beside her mother, shocked that so much had changed. It now felt like Prim was the mom, urging her to eat and rest. Gently, Prim took the picture frame out of her mom's hands and placed the warm tea in them, curling her hands around them.

"Drink this, mom. Please," Prim's voice cracked. All the emotion she had been holding in since the tribute parade and interview was let out in her tears. "Please, mom, Katniss would want you to be strong.

"If you haven't noticed Katniss isn't here and will most likely be dead by nightfall. So don't tell me what to do; you're not Katniss!" Prim was stung by her mother harsh words. She grabbed her knapsack from the table and ran to the front door. But, compelled to turn around at the door, she looked at her mother.

"Mom? I'm only trying to help, " Prim half whispered.

"You can't help; leave now!" At this Prim bolted out the door. The weather was beautiful, blue skies, light fluffy white clouds, a light breeze, warm enough for no jacket- not that Prim had one anyways. The weather seemed like another insult to Katniss's absence. How unfair it was her kind sister was stuck in the games. She probably wouldn't die today; Katniss was too smart for that. But the chances of her coming home were slim.

Prim ran.

She didn't know where she going. She didn't even realize she was crying until she tasted water on her lips. She didn't even feel herself getting tired as she ran. Suddenly, she stopped in front a house. Gale's house. But she didn't want to see their grief stricken faces. She turned and ran until she got to the meadow. There she lied down and wept. The meadow where Katniss and Prim picked berries and the meadow where Prim and Katniss brought Lady her goat to raise. _Oh Katniss, I wish you were here. _Katniss. Katniss would want her to be brave. Prim sighs and rolls over.

"You know, there is always hope," A voice breaks Prim's thoughts. Rory, Gale's younger brother stands over her. He kneels next to her. "I saw you run past. Are you okay?"

Prim gulps. "Katniss," She chokes out with a sob. Rory scoots over closer to Prim and places his arm around her. She buries her face in his shoulder and cries heartbreaking sobs. When Prim's tears pause, Rory picks a wild purple iris from the grass. "Do you know what an iris stands for?"

"No," Prim manages to say without crying.

Rory smiles at her. "It stands for hope."

Prim smiles at Rory. He really was sweet. "Thank you, Rory. I think we can go to school now."

Rory stands up and offers Prim a hand. She takes it. The iris Rory picked is handed to her and she holds it. Then, with hope, they walk out of the field together.

_You can win, Katniss, because we're armed with hope_.

**Check out my other story From the Ashes, a syot, and Storm Rising.**

**~water6631~**


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